Emerging Conservative

I just saw today that Bill Maher has a movie coming out called “Religulos”. In the same spirit of Michael Moore type movies, Maher will make a nice little agenda piece against the dangers and lunicy of people who buy into “religion”. I’m sure it will be witty, sharp, and not worth my time (though I admit I will probably watch it once it hits DVD out of morbid curiosity.)

Why the distaste on my part? Can’t I handle someone who disagress with me? Sure I can. If you really look at it, Mahr’s not even coming after just Christianity but all religions. Don’t I have a sense of humor? Sure I do. Actually I used to watch Mahr’s show on HBO and then ABC before he got fired over his 9/11 comments. However, either he has gotten worse or I have grown out of it but Mahar just strikes me as an arrogant, bitter man who wields his little bit of knowledge like a loaded gun.

While he attacks all kinds of issues with a no punches held back mentality, he does it in a way where he acts like he is an expert. However, at least in matters dealing with Christian histroy, it doesn’t take too long of listening to him to realize he knows little. He just talks loud. He intimidates people and uses thier hesitation to make them look foolish. He ridicules with his little rants yet the rants under the slightest evaluation hold little if no water.

For example, one night I was watching his show and he got on a slamfest on the Bible. He showed great disdain for people believing the gospels about Christ because first, Jesus never claimed to be Christ and second, the gospels were written hundreds of years later by people who never met Jesus. He stated these were “facts”. I hoped that any of the 4 guests that night would have the least bit of Biblical knowledge to know both of these statements were crap but they did not. I wondered how many people at home wondered “Wow, I never knew Jesus didn’t claim to be Christ” or “Hmmmm, how could the gospel writers really know anything then?”

Matthew – First hand follower of Christ. Tax Collector called by Jesus and was one of the 12 apostles and closest friends of Jesus. Written in the first century.

Mark – Follower of Christ during the first century though we don’t know if he ever knew Jesus. However, we know from history he worked very closely with Paul and Peter (Jesus’ closest friend). Most of his gospel is believed to be Peter’s telling that was written by Mark

Luke – A doctor who was a follower of Christ and had first hand dealings in Jesus’ ministry. Also he speaks of his extensive research for his goal to write down the story correctly and create a factual account

John – Another disciple and close friend of Christ. Spent the entire three years of Jesus’ earthly ministry with Jesus for all the events and teachings.

The lie that these gospels were written a couple centuries later are as old as the lies that the gnostic gospels (Gospel of Judas, Mary Mageline, and the like) were ignored by the church because they didn’t fit what the Christian leaders wanted Jesus to be seen as so they were ignored.

So get ready for an hour and a half of video clips from the cream of the crop of the loonies who give religion a bad name. Here comes a series of comments that sound like fact because they spoken boldly but have little if no foundation. Do I suggest skipping the movie? Not really but bring an ounce of sense with you. If you don’t know much about Christianity or spirituality, go with a friend who does and have a great conversation off of it. However, I don’t suggest taking it for face value simply because the host has shown time and time again that his agenda drives his presentation and this will be no different.

If I see the film and he proves me otherwise, I will gladly jump on here and apologize. However, the preview leaves little to doubt that there’s not much hope for much more than slams, mis-truths, and guided deductions.